computer freezing randomly

[twistedtrebla]

Hi guys,

 

I've been playing Skyrim for past 3 months or so, and recently started having a problem where Skyrim would freeze (not CTD), and sometimes, freeze my computer altogether, forcing me to restart the computer using the power button.

 

I have Radeon 7950 and my PC is running win 7 64bit with 8GB of RAM. I can run other games, like Civ 5, Call of Duty, Fallout New Vegas perfectly fine, without any freezes or strange behavior. Btw, my gcard temperature hovers around 65C, so it doesnt appear to be overheating issue. I havent overclocked anything - dont even know how.

 

What happens:

- Randomly, screen would flicker, blink, and stutter for 1-3 seconds. Immediately after that, the screen would turn green with black stripes, and my PC would start producing a generator-like sound (from the speakers, not the computer itself). At this point, sometimes ctrl alt del would work. Sometimes it wont, and I would have ti force restart with power button.

 

When it happens:

- it seems to be random, sometimes after 30ish minutes into the game. Sometimes few hours into the game. But it only started happening recently - maybe because I started adding more mods?

 

What I have done so far, and didnt work:

- updated my ATI graphics driver to latest version

- try different lighting mods; it seems to occur more frequently with ENB as opposed to running the game with no lighting mods

- set verticalsync on ingame and also in Catalyst

 

Anyone have any ideas what could be happening here? Thanks much!

[camaro_69_327]

This sounds more hardware related....What is the Power supply , Size and watts.....did you Upgrade to a newer Video card and have an older Power supply?

 

I had that ,,,,locked sound.(bzzzz) with a solid black screen before, and it was a failing Powersupply.

 

List both your System specs and you Load order.

 

Have you Stress tested the computer ever?

[twistedtrebla]

Hmmm I do have an upgraded gcard. My PC is a 3 year old Dell XPS 8100. I upgraded my gcard to Radeon 7950 (I think it had 5770, or was it 7770? Cant remember..). It came with a 350w PSU, so I upgraded to Corsair CX 600w when I bought the 7950 about a year ago. Ive been using it to play games without a problem so far.

 

Im currently at work so I dont have my load order, but I use BOSS to order it for me. The only mods that I use that changes graphics or sound are:

climates of tamriel

Lighting mod: either sharpshooters ENB or ULO

 

I have not stress tested my system. How do I do that?

[twistedtrebla]

And yea, it does make that buzz (bzzzzz) sound. I guess your description is more accurate :)

[camaro_69_327]

I have not stress tested my system. How do I do that?

Stress testing computer

 

OCCT...use the Power supply test. This will push a system.

It has a way to monitor temps built in , but it does not hurt to have a way of monitoring your CPU temp, (real temp) or your GPU temp.

 

Prime 95 is another one that will stress test your computer.

Furmark.... test just the GPU

Fluid mark will also stress a GPU.

 

What you are looking to do is Stress the system to a point higher then a Game would push it, if you get the same results its hardware.

 

Watch Temps! :smile:

EDIT: to add, Stress testing can cause marginal (failing) compensates to fail. This can be a good thing (unfortunate) but points to the real problem. My current System is > 3 years old and has been stress tested every year.

 

Could just be crappy Sound drivers ...lol

Edited October 14, 2014 by camaro_69_327

[twistedtrebla]

Thanks for the info! Will definitely try the stress test when I get home.

 

Interesting that you mentioned sound drivers. Could a bad sound driver cause the weird green/black stripe screen though? I thought sound drivers just... control the sound

[azlakal]

I had this exact problem only a few weeks ago, on a totally competant PC as well. The issue is Skyrim's inherit shortsighted scripting, as mods make the game progressively more unstable without counter mods. What you need to do is use ENBoost, and increase the avaible VRAM. Then go into the skyrim.ini, and increase your multithread value to 5 (if your processor has 5+ cores) as well as some setting in the prefs.ini. After you do the, install SSME and choose the appropriate settings for your system. If you want, I could post my Skyrim.ini and Skyrimprefs.ini settings, but the only reason I don't go into more detail is because there are already guides online on how to do this. made my game go from CTDs and freezes to running beautifully! Hope this helps!

[twistedtrebla]

I had this exact problem only a few weeks ago, on a totally competant PC as well. The issue is Skyrim's inherit shortsighted scripting, as mods make the game progressively more unstable without counter mods. What you need to do is use ENBoost, and increase the avaible VRAM. Then go into the skyrim.ini, and increase your multithread value to 5 (if your processor has 5+ cores) as well as some setting in the prefs.ini. After you do the, install SSME and choose the appropriate settings for your system. If you want, I could post my Skyrim.ini and Skyrimprefs.ini settings, but the only reason I don't go into more detail is because there are already guides online on how to do this. made my game go from CTDs and freezes to running beautifully! Hope this helps!

Thanks, I will try that too. Though, im a little skeptical. Would running out of VRAM cause black screen with buzzing noise? I would think it would just CTD. Did you also have similar condition where the screen would flicker then turn green/black and produce the buzzing noise? Thanks anyhow!